Powerful quake rocks New Zealand

Injuries and damage, but no deaths, reported after 7.1 temblor

by Ray Lilley - Sept. 4, 2010 12:00 AMAssociated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake damaged buildings, cut power and knocked fleeing residents off their feet on New Zealand's South Island early today, but so far, there were no deaths and only two injuries reported.

Panicked residents in their pajamas ran into the streets of the southern city of Christchurch after the pre-dawn quake, residents said. There were reports of some people trapped in damaged buildings, though none appeared to be crushed by rubble, and a few looters broke into some of the damaged shops in the city of 400,000, authorities said.

Chimneys and walls had fallen from older buildings, roads had been blocked, traffic lights were out and power, gas and water supplies disrupted, Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said.

He warned that continuing aftershocks could cause masonry to fall from damaged buildings.

"The fronts of at least five buildings in the central city have collapsed, and rubble is strewn across many roads," Christchurch resident Angela Morgan said.

"There is quite significant damage, really, with reports that some people were trapped in damaged houses."

Suburban dweller Mark O'Connell said his house was full of smashed glass and food tossed from shelves, with sets of drawers, TVs and computers tipped over.

"We were thrown from wall to wall as we tried to escape down the stairs to get to safety," he said.

The state geological agency GNS Science said the quake hit 19 miles west of Christchurch and shook a wide area, with some residents saying buildings had collapsed and power was severed. No tsunami alert was issued.

GNS Science initially reported the quake as a magnitude 7.4, but later downgraded it after re-examining quake records. The U.S. Geological Survey in America measured the quake at 7.0.

Army troops were on standby to assist, Minister of Civil Defense John Carter said, as a state of civil emergency was declared.

"I think we've been extremely lucky as a nation that there's been no fatalities," Carter told reporters, although he said infrastructure damage was major.

Earthquake and insurance specialists will give the government an initial damage assessment within 48 hours, he said.

Parker said the quake caused "a lot of damage to our key infrastructure ... water, wastewater (sewage) systems ... but the most important thing is that there has been no loss of life."

Mike Bowden, a Christchurch Fire Service spokesman, said that a number of people had been trapped in buildings by fallen chimneys and blocked entrances but that there were no reports of people pinned under rubble.

Rescue teams were out checking premises.

Christchurch Hospital said it had treated two men with serious injuries and a number of people with minor injuries.